


Another Lens

by cactustipper



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Gen, a big swap au bc fuck, basically awakenings storyline with a role swap twist and some of my own rewritings and stuff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-27
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-05-29 14:16:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15074921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cactustipper/pseuds/cactustipper
Summary: Chrom wakes up in the ruins of a village of sand, with any memories he once had completely gone.Only one remains; a name.Robin.





	1. Invisible Ties

"Chrom, above you!"

He leaps up to the rock, swinging his sword at the woman who stands there. The force behind his attack is reflected, however, as his weapon bounces off the shield of magic his opponent conjures. He slips down the rock, nearly losing his balance before he's on flat earth again.

The woman had recovered faster, casting a beam of light to Chrom's right, and he snaps his gaze to Robin, who's on one knee and struggling to stand.

"It need not be this way!" she shouts, preparing another attack. It's flung at Robin again, and Chrom wastes no time in lunging forward, meeting the magic with his sword. The small explosion has him and Robin skidding back, and they see the woman standing near the base of a large tree once the dust clears.

"I'm starting to get her pattern down," Robin huffs as he gets to his feet. "We can get her as long as we stick together." His friend's eyes are on his, warm and strong. "You're one of us, Chrom. No ' _fate_ ' will change that."

Chrom glances to the sun dipping below the horizon, golden light streaming through the sky. The end of the day is near. The day to end all days.

He returns a determined nod to his friend. "Thank you."

Robin smiles back, then points across the field to the woman, who's catching her breath, veins third-dimensional throughout her face and neck. His friend's voice sounds again. "Now, let's move!"

The two men charge forward, Chrom squeezing the hilt of Falchion with a death-grip, and Robin whispering spells of Grima's Truth in preparation.

"Chrom, don't you wish to be united once more?" the woman asks, raising her arms as ribbons of light circle around her.

He doesn't answer, only clenching his teeth in concentration as he runs.

"We're family," she says, spheres of magic energy forming in her hands. "Why won't you accept our shared destiny?"

He swoops in to slice at her, then falls back as Robin moves in with an electrical attack. His friend runs back to him, breathing heavily as the woman collapses with a scream.

"Chrom… The end result… won't change…" she moans out, slowly raising her chin.

Robin turns to him, giving a thumbs up. Behind his form, Chrom can see movement and more light being generated. Just a second before it's too late, he moves. "Watch out!" Chrom hardly hears his own voice above what sounds like thunder generating from his own body.

His vision goes white and hot pain is exploding in his chest. He slams against the ground, before Robin's arms are wrapping around him to support him.

"Chrom," he says, voice wavering. "Please be okay." Chrom nods weakly and focuses on his friend's eyes. Robin holds him tighter, exhaling with the weight of the world.

The light is appearing in Chrom's eyes again, and he feels searing fire in his heart. When Robin speaks again, he has to strain his ears to make out the words.

"She's gone. We're safe now."

He reaches up to touch Robin's face, his hand shaking horribly as he uses his thumb to wipe a tear running down his friend's cheek away.

"Everyone can carry on now, finally…"

Chrom can't see Robin anymore and his body is the heat of the very sun itself.

"…Chrom? You're burning—"

His blood roars in his ears and a scream cuts through the air. Time screeches to a hault. Then he's somehow on his feet when he can see again, and Robin is backing away, his hands on the hilt of Chrom's sword in his stomach. Red is spreading around the blade's entrance point, staining his shirt and hands.

His friend is breathing hard, eyes fixed at his feet. Chrom feels emotion lumping in his throat, and he can't move. He can't feel, and is trapped in this awful, awful moment.

"C-Chrom…" Robin coughs. Blood spatters from his mouth, dotting the grass beneath him. Chrom's eyes follow the droplets to the ground, horror washing over him, chilling him to his core.

"It'll be fine." Robin staggers, his hands dropping to his knees. Chrom should be running forward to catch him, but he can't. He's frozen.

"We've already won… I…"

Robin shudders and heaves more blood, before finally falling forward with a _thump_.

All is silent, save for the wind whipping around the mountain, carrying his friend's soul away.


	2. The Verge of History

His head pounding is the first thing that registers.

"Aww, he's kind of cute, isn't he, Brother?" a feminine voice says, sounding as if it's a long ways off.

His eyelids slightly split on their own command. Two figures stand above him, and he can't make out their details with the sun's contrast behind them.

"Is now _really_ the time for that?" a masculine voice says with exasperation, much clearer than the first voice.

"I kid, love, I kid," the first voice replies, now clearer as well.

He opens his eyes fully now. A man and woman come into focus, each with tan skin and white hair. They wear dark clothing with purple and gold accents, almost like robes.

He takes note of his own clothes as well, and how different in style they are compared to the strangers'; navy shirt and pants with gray lines, a silver chest plate and single pauldron on his left shoulder, a white belt with a sword's sheathe, a light cape that's white on the outside and blue on the inside, and strapped gray gloves and boots.

The people standing over him turn their heads to look down at him. The sky is still as bright as ever behind their figures, and he has to raise a hand to shade his eyes.

"Welcome to the land of the living," the man says as he crouches down, his expression friendly.

"Yes, it's wonderful to have you, darling," the woman says.

"There are better places to take a nap than on the ground, you know." The man offers an open palm. He accepts, and the man pulls him to his feet. He stumbles forward a bit, ending up perhaps a little bit closer to the other man than he needs to be, but the man doesn't say anything. He steps back, noting the other man is a bit shorter than him.

"How are you feeling?" the man asks.

"I'm alright," he responds, "thank you, Robin." He's not sure where _that_ name came from.

"So, you've heard of me?" Robin says.

He backtracks. "Er—no, actually. Your name just kinda… came to me, I guess."

Robin glances at the taller woman. She only quirks a brow, her lips staying straight in a thin line. "Hm. Interesting." Robin hums, then looks at him again. "How are you called, and from where do you hail?"

"Uh…" He hesitates, racking his brain. "I'm not sure." He knows how stupid that sounds when he somehow knew Robin's name. He glances around to see if the seemingly abandoned ruins they're in will jog his memory, but nothing is coming to mind.

"You don't know your own _name?_ " Robin asks, lifting an eyebrow.

"I don't _remember_ my own name," he corrects. "Actually, I can't remember _anything_ at the moment."

"Sounds like amnesia to me," the woman says with a small smirk, crossing her arms.

"Sounds like _bat dung_ to _me_ ," a new voice pipes up. A woman with hair as dark as her clothing reveals herself from behind Robin, glaring daggers at him. It causes him a shiver, despite the warm temperature.

"I—I don't know what else to tell you," he says, shaking his head.

"Tharja, I understand your concern," Robin turns to her. "But if he's being truthful, we can't just leave him for the vultures. We're meant to be an Oasis."

"And what if we're dumping arsenic into the watering hole?" she snaps back, her eyes still boring into him.

"How about we go back to town and you can check over him?" Robin offers.

"Do I not have a say in this?" he asks, forcing himself to ignore the gothic woman.

"Don't worry," Robin says, raising his hands in a peaceful gesture. "Tharja will use her magic to peek into your heart to see your true intentions. If you're speaking the truth, you'll have nothing to fear. Now come."

Tharja snarls, but says no more as Robin places a hand on his back, and the group begins walking on a path of sandstone out of the ruins. As they leave, he notices they appear to be in a desert of some sort, but something of perhaps a modernized one. There's streets of flat sand cleared between the dunes for easier travel, and he can see a wall far ahead of them. Probably the town this group is taking him to.

"What happens after this?" he asks, wiping a drop of sweat from his brow. He has to wonder how these people aren't burning alive with their dark cloaks. Especially that black pegasus the tall woman is leading along, and the armor it's wearing.

"Once it's established you're not an enemy of Plegia, you're free to go," Robin says.

"Plegia…" he tries the name on his tongue. "I'm assuming that's this place, then?"

"Don't play dumb," Tharja says, rolling her eyes.

Robin gives her a quick look. "Tharja, please," he says gently, but warning is still apparent in his tone. She scowls, getting the message. "Yes, this place is known as the Theocracy of Plegia and is ruled by King Validar. Allow me to introduce ourselves. You already know Tharja and I, and this—" Robin gestures to the tallest of them, the woman who looks like him, "—is my sister, Aversa. Don't take her advances seriously."

"Why, Brother!" Aversa gasps, placing a hand on her chest. "I'm hurt. I don't have _any_ idea of what you speak!" She giggles a bit while Robin just raises an eyebrow, not looking convinced. "Regardless, dear," she says, focusing her attention on him now, "I'm positive you'll find waking to the Oasis is _much_ preferred over waking to ruffians."

"The Oasis?" he says, "Is that what your group is called?"

"Clever, isn't it?" Aversa replies. "There's plenty more of us to protect darlings such as yourself."

"Some of us more vigilant than others," Tharja mutters.

Robin eyes her for a moment, then says, "Yes, it can be rather dangerous out here. Tharja here is known as the Dark Shadow for how… _attentive_ , she is."

"Someone has to protect you from your good intentions," she states simply. She turns to him. "If you dare lay a _finger_ on Lord Robin, I'll curse you so badly that _hell_ will seem like _paradise_."

He swallows. "Understood." He looks to Robin. "Well, my name's Chrom. Er—yeah. I just remembered that. I _think_ that's it, anyways."

"Chrom?" Robin repeats, tasting the name. "I… I know that name, that's—"

"Brother," Aversa says suddenly, placing a hand on the shorter man's shoulder. Chrom follows his eyes to the city wall, where smoke is rising into the sky and the echoes of screams can be heard.

"Damn it," Robin curses under his breath. "Aversa, Tharja. Let's move."

"What about _him?_ " Tharja glares at Chrom.

"Unless he's on fire, too, he can wait!"

She gives a curt nod, and she and Robin run ahead towards the town, while Aversa hops on her pegasus and flies above. Chrom furrows his brow, then decides to follow as well. Perhaps he can help—he has a sword on him, after all.

 

 

Once he catches up, Aversa is landing with her pegasus. "Two mages, three barbarians, three myrmidons, and their leader," she reports to Robin, before shifting her gaze onto Chrom.

Robin follows it and turns around, eyes slightly widening in surprise. "Chrom?"

"I can help," he says, unsheathing his sword. Robin's eyes go even wider at the blade, which Chrom notes that the thing must have been expensive, based on its design.

Robin shakes his amazement and says, "If you're comfortable."

"I am."

The shorter man grins. "Wonderful. You should help even the odds…"

Tharja taps Chrom's shoulder, making him shiver again. "Remember, these guys obviously have no morals," she says, her previous distrustful demeanor nowhere to be found. "If you hesitate, they'll take whatever opportunity to kill you."

He grimly nods in understanding, and Aversa catches his attention. "Chrom," she says, tossing him something. He catches the thing, a vial of liquid, and looks at her for explanation. "Vulnerary. If you're injured, come see me, sweetie. I've plenty more."

"Alright," Robin says, his tone one of taking charge. He points to a few abandoned stands in the town's square. "Chrom, I want you to lure the brigands out. Tharja will back you up. You two stay clear of magic. Aversa and I will be around the corner dealing with the myrmidons. Undertsand?" They collectively nod. "Alright. Let's begin."

Robin and Aversa run off, him wielding a tome and her a lance. Chrom looks at Tharja, and she gestures impatiently for him to lead.

He takes them over to the market stand, getting in view of the brigand to the side of it, but not quite the myrmidon's next to him. The brigand charges forward, drawing an axe.

Tharja casts a spell, sending dark magic at their foe. It hits him in the shoulder, distracting him for a moment. Chrom uses the opening to dart forward, slashing through the man's torso, sending his limp body aside.

His heart pounds in his chest with exhilaration, and he dimly hears Tharja whisper behind him, "Not bad."

They wait until the myrmidon runs over to Robin and Aversa before catching the next brigand's attention. A mage a distance off is advancing, and Chrom speaks a warning to Tharja before he and the brigand engage.

The brigand swipes at Chrom, catching his thigh, and Chrom retaliates by thrusting his sword forward and twisting. Tharja sends a blow to his head, and Chrom watches as he falls to the ground.

Suddenly, he's being tugged back as a slash of wind magic shoots past, just inches from his face.

"You're welcome," Tharja says drily, letting go of his shirt. He blinks before giving a quick nod. She goes on, "Let's fall back to Robin's position. I'll cover you while you deal with that." She nods to his thigh.

"Alright. Lead the way," Chrom says.

They run and use the market stand as a means of cover from the mage. Chrom slathers the vulnerary on his leg while Tharja catches her breath. It stings like hell, but he says nothing and just grunts through it.

They see Aversa finishing up with a myrmidon, with Robin shouting a warning about the same mage as he and Tharja had run from. Aversa doesn't hear it in time, and she screams as she's hit by a gust of wind magic. Robin's yelling again and preparing a lightning spell, and Tharja tugs Chrom's shirt again, hissing, " _Move!_ "

The mage dodges Robin's attack and retaliates, landing a blow on the man's chest. Tharja darts to shield him from any further attacks, while Chrom flanks around the stand to get the mage from behind.

The mage is too focused on the others, and turns around a moment too late as Chrom plunges his sword into the mage's stomach. He draws it out, and the mage collapses at his feet.

He pays no mind to it as he jumps over his body, jogging to meet the Oasis members. Tharja is supporting Robin with her shoulders while he and Aversa apply vulneraries to themselves. Aversa's pursing her lips, possibly biting them, and Robin's sharply sucking in air as his face scrunches up.

Chrom waits until their visual pain from the medicine subsides before asking, "Everyone alright?"

Robin gently removes himself from Tharja, pressing his hand into his stomach. "I believe so," he says. "Aversa?"

"I'm fine now, love. Thank you," she says, remounting her pegasus. "Shall we move forward?"

"Wonderful. And yes," Robin responds, turning to address the rest of the group. "Same plan people, just be mindful of our close quarters. We'll be more available to support each other, but that means they will as well. Don't take on the leader until we've cleared them out. Aversa, take the opportunity to flank if it's safe. Let's go."

 

  
Chrom pants as the leader of the thugs collapses, his body slamming hard against the stone.

He jumps when he feels a hand on his shoulder, turning and readying an attack, but calms as soon as he sees it's Robin.

"Well, that's the end of that," he says.

"Thank Gods we were nearby," Aversa says, then glances at Chrom. " _And_ that we had this one. It seems our friend here is a seasoned fighter."

Chrom rubs the back of his neck. "Er, thanks."

"He's definitely not a random villager," Robin agrees. Chrom thinks he looks at his sword, but he isn't sure with how fast it was. Maybe not.

"Bravo," Tharja says snarkily. "Care to remember how you ended up here, _Chrom?_ "

"I get that it's weird, but I've told you everything I know," he replies calmly.

"You can check him when we get back to Plegaria, Tharja," Robin says. "I promise."

Her eyes round. " _Plegaria?_ " she asks incredulously. "You said I could check him _here_ , and now you want to take him to the _capital?_ We have no idea who he is, and look at him! He's obviously Ylissean!"

"Peace, Tharja. We're losing daylight and we must get moving," Robin says. "Besides, he sounds honest enough. We aren't taking our eyes off him anytime soon, especially with the skill he has." He turns to Chrom. "Actually, would you like to join the Oasis? Without any memory, I suppose you wouldn't mind having a place to stay."

"You can't be serious…" Tharja scowls. She knows she's lost, however, and keeps quiet.

"Thank you, I think I'll take up that offer," Chrom replies with a grin.

 

  
After ensuring the safety of the surviving villagers, they begin to walk again, casually chatting as they go. Eventually Tharja's muttering something that catches Chrom's attention.

"Ylisseans and their entitlement…" she's saying.

"So what _are_ Ylisseans, exactly?" Chrom asks. "I keep hearing you guys throw that word around."

"Those of the Halidom of Ylisse. It's on Plegia's east border," Robin explains, using his hands to speak. "Lately, radicals of the religion of Naga have been setting up disasters to get followers of Grima to convert, hence the people we were just fighting."

"It's not as if our own radicals are much better," Aversa admits, frowning. "We fear only war is what will rise out of all of this, which seems to be exactly what each group's goal is."

"They have to run out of wack jobs eventually," Tharja says with a shrug. "Until then, Plegians have their Oasis."

Robin hums in agreement, and the four of them continue on in silence.

Chrom's thoughts drift to just earlier that day, waking up in the ruins of a village of sand. How had he gotten there if he was Ylissean? It didn't sound as if this country was very accepting of those of Ylisse, with how high tensions between them were.

Perhaps when Tharja checks him, she'll be able find some of his memories. He has to wonder if anyone is looking for him…

Chrom shakes it off, as Aversa begins telling some story about a girl she knew when she was younger not having any memories either.

These three seem kind-hearted enough to him. Even that moody Tharja cares about her country, and was just being cautious to keep Robin and Aversa safe.

Perhaps he could stick around them for awhile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> some interesting things i just learned from writing this chapter
> 
> plegia is apparently a suffix meaning paralysis  
> ylisstol is a combination of ylisse and capitol (im guessing)  
> plegia is considered "the theocracy of plegia" (according to the wiki) and bc of that i named the capital plegaria, plegaria meaning "prayer" in spanish
> 
> anyways hope yall are enjoying it so far. would love to hear any predictions.


	3. Unwelcome Change

As the sky changes to purple, Chrom shivers as a particularly chilly breeze passes by, catching his cape and fluttering along.

He looks at the others, and they appear to be completely fine with this sudden temperature drop.

"How are you guys not freezing?" Chrom asks. "You're wearing these robes that look like they'd be hot as hell during the day, but you're still fine when night is falling."

"Oh, poor baby," Aversa coos. "Plegian clothes are made to reflect one's own body heat back onto them, while keeping whatever the temperature is out."

The breeze is catching him again, and he crosses his arms to help stay warm. "Makes sense…"

"We can have some clothes made for you once we get back," Robin says. "Perhaps just alter your own, even."

"Thanks," Chrom says. Then his stomach growls. He flushes a bit and Robin chuckles.

"I suppose we should consider setting up camp, eh?" the man says. "And let's see if we can't do something about that hunger of yours."

 

 

Chrom inspects the piece of meat, then takes an experimental bite out of it. It's more delicious than he thought it'd be, and he begins to unceremoniously scarf it down.

Tharja, meanwhile, is inspecting the animal's claws, holding them up to the light of the campfire.

Robin notices this as well. "Aren't you going to eat, Tharja?"

She looks at him, quirking her lip. "No thanks," she says, "Most people don't really eat coyote."

"And since when do you care about what most people do?" Robin laughs. She only grimaces.

"Want some tuna, love?" Aversa says, holding out a slice of deep-red fruit to the dark mage. "A villager gave me a bag back in town."

Tharja accepts, taking a bite of the fruit.

"Tuna?" Chrom echoes. Last time he checked, that was a type of fish.

"Oh dear, you don't know what cactus tuna is?" Aversa asks. Chrom shakes his head. "It's a fruit that grows on prickly pear cacti. Quite delectable, really. Care to bite?"

He takes a piece of the fruit, biting into it. The thing has a high water content, and the sugary juice drips down his chin. It reminds him somewhat of watermelon.

 

 

Something wakes him. Chrom cracks his eyes open and prepares to draw his sword, but once he crawls from his tent, he realizes it's only Robin. The man is standing with his hands on the sides on his waist, humming and looking at the trees. They had set up camp in a place where more greenery was showing up, but the ground was still dusty with sandy, dry soil.

Robin turns as Chrom gets to his feet. "Did I wake you?" he says quietly.

Chrom shrugs and walks over to stand next to him.

"My apologies."

"It's nothing," Chrom says. "Why are you up?"

"Something seems… off."

He looks around, but nothing appears out of the ordinary. "Define 'something.'"

"Just a feeling I'm getting," Robin admits. "I think I'll patrol the area."

"Hm. Not safe to do alone," Chrom says. "I'd like to come with, if you don't mind."

Robin gives a smile. "Sure."

 

 

"It's rather quiet," Chrom says. "Something's wrong here…"

They're deeper in the trees, and it's eerily silent, shadows seemingly creeping through the vegetation.

"I agr—" Robin says, before the ground begins to violently shake. He grabs Chrom's arm for stability, looking around wildly. "What in Gods' names—?"

Trees are beginning to collapse, and Chrom tugs Robin's hand. "We need to go!" he shouts above the roar of the earth. Robin nods, and Chrom begins leading them out of the trees.

He looks at the sky as they sprint. Violet clouds seeming to have appeared out of nowhere stir around a fixed point, strikes of thunderless lightning being produced by the opening in the sky.

A tree collapses in front of them, its leaves ablaze with blue fire. Chrom stops in his tracks, but Robin nudges him to keep moving. They begin to run again, and he can feel the earth lifting beneath his feet. They get to the edge of the tilting piece of land and jump down, grunting at the length of the fall.

They continue on, dodging flames and falling trees. Once they appear to be at a safe distance, Robin turns to look at the sky again. "Chrom!" he calls, pointing.

Chrom turns as well and follows his finger, to a sphere of blue light that resembles an eyeball in the sky. He can't look directly at it, and he uses his hand to shield his eyes as dark figures begin to fall from it.

One of them is already in front of them, and it resembles something of a human being. Its eyes are empty, yet glow with a red hue, and it makes a noise that's something between a distorted squeal and a low rumbling.

Robin draws his Thoron tome, then charges forward and strikes the zombie with a bolt of magic. Chrom's breath catches as the thing stays on its feet, its head doing a full one-eighty, before reaching out to attack Robin. The Plegian man dodges and casts another spell, and out of the corner of his eye, Chrom can see the thing fall to the ground before dissipating into black smoke.

He's more occupied, however, with another one of the zombies in front of him. Chrom reaches for his sword, cussing under his breath when he realizes he left it back in his tent at camp. He turns his head and shouts, "Robin!"

Robin's switches his attention to Chrom, gasping. The thing is raising a sword, just as a small figure darts in front of Chrom, using dark magic to create a physical block against the zombie's attack.

Robin had began running, but hesitates at the turn of events. The short man in front of Chrom grunts with effort, managing to call out, "Help!"

Robin snaps out of his daze, giving a small nod before using his magic to take care of the zombie. This one evaporates as well once its body thuds against the ground.

The three of them check around, regaining their air once it seems the coast is clear.

"Quite an entrance…" Chrom breathes. In the corner of his eye, he catches Robin staring at him. He ignores it and says to the stranger, "What's your name?"

The young man doesn't reply, and Chrom's attention is caught by the sound of feet against the ground. Tharja and Aversa appear as Aversa's pegasus lands. Aversa hands the sword Chrom had left behind to him, and he accepts it gratefully.

"Lord Robin, Chrom," Tharja pants. "Are you two well?"

"Yes, I believe so," Robin replies.

"Are these creatures commonplace here?" Chrom cuts in, disbelief thick in his voice.

"Not at all," the tactician says, brushing the dust from his coat. "They're new in town, just as you are."

Chrom purses his lips, glancing around. He notices the man who saved him is gone, but now doesn't seem to be the time to mention it.

"Weapons ready now, loves," Aversa says, mounting her pegasus. "We don't know what these things can do."

"Yes, take caution," Robin agrees with a nod. He scans the trees, eyes landing on one of the creatures. "Aversa, I want you to stay back. A lot of these things have axes, and I saw at least one archer." She nods, stroking the mane of her pegasus. "If anyone needs help, go to Aversa. She has medicine. Chrom, I'm seeing some abandoned forts up ahead. You and I will take offense and use them to our advantage. Tharja, stay behind us and guard Aversa. Everyone clear?" The group collectively nod. "Perfect, let's move."

Chrom follows Robin to one of the walls of stone, crouching behind it as an arrow flies above their heads. They wait for another, before Robin peeks out and sends off a lightning spell. Chrom takes the opportunity to dart in and attack, successfully killing the creature.

He dodges back as another zombie approaches with an axe, then elbows it in the stomach. It falls back, and Robin finishes it off with a bolt of magic.

Chrom returns to the fort, noticing a cloud of darkness approaching the battlefield from the woods. "What the hell—?" he says, and the cawing of birds begins to sound.

The black cloud disperses, and a presumably Plegian man stands where the crows once were. One remains perched on his shoulder, and he scratches its neck.

"Heyo, Rob!" the man waves, jogging forward to meet the two of them. Chrom only stares with wide eyes, and the man laughs. "What'sa matter? Crow got your tongue? Nya ha!"

Chrom shakes his head to clear his bafflement. "Where did you come from?" he asks.

"Well," he says, tapping his chin. "A little birdie told me that my little birdie—" he gestures to Robin, "—was having some zombie troubles! So here I am!"

"…Right," Chrom says slowly, looking to Robin for an answer.

"Henry," he replies to the unspoken question.

"Ah."

"'Ah' is right!" Henry holds a finger skyward. " _Ah_ , am the scariest dark mage there is, so have no fear, Henry is here, nya ha! Just point me at 'em, Robbie! Float like a horsefly, sting like a bee!"

Robin seems unshaken, so Chrom decides to just roll with it.

 

 

The Oasis regroups once the zombies are taken care of, and the man who had saved Chrom returns to them.

"Looks like the that was the last of them…" Robin lets out a sigh of relief. He turns to the mysterious man. "Thank you for your help."

He wears an intricate black domino mask, making his eyes appear solid white. He also wears a black tunic with purple and gold accents, white tights, gloves, and knee-high boots of the same leather, along with a silver chest plate and belt. His black hair brushes just above his shoulders. He gives a half smile along with a simple nod. Chrom has to note he's somewhat attractive, in a pretty kind of way.

"Yeah," Chrom agrees with Robin, who's giving him that weird stare again. "You saved my life back there, so thanks for that. My name's Chrom. Might I ask yours?"

The man hesitates before replying. His voice is perhaps closer to that of an alto's rather than a tenor's, but Chrom pays it no mind. "You can call me Marth."

"Marth?" Robin repeats, not seeming completely convinced. "After the legendary Hero King?" He gives a nod. "Well I suppose you _do_ fight like a hero. Your magic technique is astounding."

"Thanks," Marth smiles, and Robin goes on.

"So what brings you here?"

Marth only shakes his head. "My apologies, but I have places to go and people to meet. Just know that the future is not going to be pretty, and to keep your eyes peeled. Good day," he says with a bow, before turning around and walking away.

"…Okay, then," Tharja deadpans, crossing her arms.

"Somewhat of an enigma, eh?" Aversa says, her lips curling. "Kind of alluring, don't you think?"

"I'll say!" Henry agrees. "Chrom here was looking at him like I look at blood!" The silver-haired man points his thumb at him.

Chrom feels his cheeks warm slightly (and he's also extremely weirded out by Henry's comparison), finding it entertaining when Robin scoffs. The tactician seems more worked up about it than he really needs to be.

"I don't see what the big deal is," Robin waves his hand. Even Tharja's giving a small smirk at his reaction. "Let's just get back to Plegaria and make sure the people are safe."

 

 

"So this is Plegaria, capital of Plegia, huh?" Chrom says. "It's certainly impressive."

It's past dawn when they reach it. The massive city stands ahead of them, and Robin leads them in. Market stands selling trinkets and food bustle with customers, while children play in the streets, despite it still being quite early.

"Looks like everything is well here," Robin comments. "I don't see any sign of what happened last night."

"Wonder if the king's checkin' for the same thing," Henry says. He points to the balcony on the castle in the center of the city, where a tall man stands. Chrom can only conclude that it's the king, and from where they stand, he only makes out the man's dark clothing.

"King Validar, right?" Chrom confirms. Robin nods. "He along with the people here wear some awfully gloomy colors, huh?"

Robin shrugs. "They have to do with symbolism of Grima, the Fell Dragon. Plus the dyes are readily available; the king's ensured that we always have enough money."

"Enough money to buy us baby sitters, but not enough to raise us properly," Aversa says snarkily.

Chrom's nodding along as they walk, until he backtracks and realizes what she's said. "Wait. Raising you, as in, _you_ and _Robin?_ " he asks. Aversa smirks. "He's your…?"

"Yep, that's Father alright," Robin says with a sigh, giving a weak laugh at the end.

"Then you're…" Chrom's eyes widen in realization.

"Prince and Princess, yes," Tharja finishes his thought, rolling her eyes. "Funny how you remember Lord Robin's name and not that he's _royalty_."

"I thought you said you were an _oasis!_ " Chrom says incredulously.

"The _people's_ Oasis, yes," Robin says. "And don't worry about addressing us any differently. You're among friends."

"Damn…" Chrom shakes his head. "No wonder Tharja's so protective."

"Gods forbid someone look after these two," she says, feigning bitterness, but he can tell she's just being melodramatic.

"Anyways," Robin moves on. "I did promise Tharja to allow her to check your mind, if that's alright, Chrom."

He nods. "If it'll convince her I intend no harm."

"Good. You can meet with my father once we have your results."

 

 

"Drink this."

Chrom sits on a stool in Tharja's workshop, looking around at all the random items she has. There's vials of liquids of every color, jars of animals parts and trinkets, as well as wood carvings and stone idols that line the shelves.

He sniffs the cup she's given him, unsure of what to make of the peculiar smell. He takes a swig, swallowing it all in one go. Tastes like… grass?

She sits across from Chrom, reaching her hands out onto the table. "Give me your palms and hold still."

He places his open hands on the table and she links his to her own, closing her eyes. He begins to feel tingling, and it moves up to his arms before spreading across his body. It feels weird; not bad, per say, just unexpected.

After a few minutes of silence, Tharja releases his hands and the tingling vanishes instantly. Her expression is unreadable, and she's furrowing her brow.

"…So," Chrom says, breaking the tranquillity, "What did you see?"

"…Well, I did see that you really had no other memories," she says after a couple moments. "So you don't need to worry about _that_."

"Anything else?"

Tharja hesitates again, looking conflicted. "…Powerful white light. So hot that it almost makes you feel cold, like that of the sun's."

Chrom quirks a brow. "What is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"I'm not sure," she admits. "But a form of energy radiates inside you like none other. How you use it will decide what kind of path you lead. For now, your heart is warm. Thank you."

He's not entirely sure what she's thanking him for, but he guesses he's happy that she knows he can be trusted.

 

 

"Welcome home, children," the king says as Chrom, Robin, Aversa, and Tharja enter the castle's main hall. He's a tall man with darker skin than Robin and Aversa, perhaps with a bit less saturation. He wears extravagant dark robes befitting of his title, and a headpiece of gold that resembles something of a crown.

Another man stands with him as well, some cross between a guard and a jester if Chrom had to guess, based on his outfit. He gives a silent bow to Robin and Aversa.

"Greetings Father, Gangrel," Robin replies, nodding to the two men.

"I see you've brought home a new friend," Validar says with a smile.

Robin looks at Chrom and says, "Yeah, something like that."

"I assume Tharja insisted on checking him over, yes?"

The woman bows. "You can never be too careful, sire. Needless to say, he has a warm spirit that combines well with his swordsmanship. He'll make a fine member of the Oasis."

Chrom is surprised at how polite she's being, and he checks around quickly to see if anyone else is reacting. None of them seem shaken by this, so he pushes it off. Perhaps it's because of the king in the room.

"Grand," Validar says. "Gangrel reported to me that his soldiers have found zombie-like creatures across the land. Did you run into them?"

"Yes," Robin replies, looking grim. "We saw them fall from the sky. I'm surprised they've spread so quickly."

"Perhaps a hex could help us…" Tharja murmurs, placing her fist against her lips as she goes into thought.

"We're about to hold council," Validar goes on. "I was hoping you could join us, Robin."

He nods, and Aversa taps Chrom's shoulder.

"Come along, dear," she says, "I'll show you where you'll be staying."

He accepts, following her out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a couple notes: morgans outfit is based off of her design in fe heroes. also idk if i mentioned that chroms outfit isnt the same as his canon one, the main difference is that his brand isnt showing. also gangrel and validar arent nearly as..gray? as they appear in game? their skin still is a bit desaturated but theyre closer to being a deeper brown than aversas skin tone
> 
> honestly tho with the outfits thing id say noble characters such as robin have more regal outfits but still decently close to their original designs. also tharjas and aversas clothes arent as skimpy LOL
> 
> anyways as far as recruiting The Gang™ this will have some creative liberties as well as some plot differences so bear with me. i love seeing the comments everyones left, so thank you! c:


	4. The Oasis

"So why didn't King Validar invite you to council as well?" Chrom asks as he and Aversa walk. "Aren't you the older sibling?"

"Oh sweetie, Robin's going to be taking the throne when the time comes," she replies, patting his head like a child. He'd be annoyed, but… it's kind of funny, really.

"Is… is it because you're not a man?"

"Dear, those types of laws are simply _archaic!_ " Aversa says with a dramatic gasp. "To answer your question, though, I'm adopted, love. That's why Robin gets the throne."

Chrom stops in his tracks. "Wait _really?_ " She giggles and nods. "But you both look so _similar_ , and you look more like Validar than Robin does!"

"Are you calling Robin short?"

"He's not short, he's just… not tall."

Aversa laughs, sounding genuine for once, bringing a hand to cover her mouth. "I'm liking you already, Chrom."

He gives a lopsided smile. They continue on in silence before Chrom decides to speak again. "Er… if you don't mind, can I ask you about you being adopted?" Her smile drops, and he feels he's made a mistake. "Sorry, I—"

"No, no," she hushes him. "It's alright, I understand the curiosity. It's… a long story, I'm afraid. Perhaps when the time is right, I'll share it with you." He nods sympathetically, not wanting her to feel uncomfortable. "All you must know, Chrom, is I am just as loyal as _anyone_ else."

He's not entirely sure of the _true_ meaning behind her final sentence, but he does trust her in some odd way.

Soon, they come to a large, beige building made of what appears to be cast stone. She opens the door for him and the two of them step inside. It seems almost like a cheaper, miniature castle with how nice it is.

"This is the Oasis's barracks. It's a bit empty, as we've only pretty recently formed the group," Aversa explains. "Robin and I have been staying here as well, with the recent tensions and whatnot."

"Hey, Qarinah's back!" a masculine voice sounds down the hallway. Moments later, a ginger-haired man reveals himself. He has a sucker in his mouth and points a thumb to Chrom. "Who's the blue?"

"Gaius, honey, you're going to die at age thirty if you keep up that sugar intake," Aversa sighs. "Regardless, Chrom, Gaius. Gaius, Chrom."

"Nice to meet ya, Blue," Gaius says, offering a hand. Chrom accepts with a handshake, a bit baffled by the sudden nickname. "So where's Bubbles? I'm assuming Sunshine's with him wherever he is, and Junior came back about half an hour ago spoutin' off about zombies er somethin'. Probably looking for one to keep as a pet."

"He's in a council meeting," she answers, then turns to Chrom again, who can hardly keep up with all of the nicknames this guy's dishing out. "Gaius here is a thief with a sweet tooth."

"A _thief?_ " Chrom echoes, quirking an eyebrow.

"If you're worried about me snatchin' that fancy little sword of yours, don't sweat over it," Gaius says. "I'll have you know I _do_ have a conscience."

Chrom chuckles. "If you say so."

"My, my, must we speak so loudly for such an ungodly hour?" A new man with hair the color that reminds Chrom of a deep, clear lake enters the room with a cup of tea, still dressed in sleepwear.

"You'd think Your Lordship would be used to this by now," Gaius snorts.

"And this is Virion," Aversa says. "It's in your best interest to ignore _this_ one."

"My dear lady, whatever warrants such venomous words for such a nobleman as I?" Virion replies, feigning hurt. "Have I not proven my worthiness despite my aid in our countless victories? Or perhaps—"

"Virion, put some clothes on," a new voice says, and Chrom turns around to see Robin entering along with Tharja close behind.

"Er—yes, sir, of course," the man shuts up, turning on his heel back down the hallway again.

"Hope he didn't torture you for too long," Robin says to Chrom.

He snickers, "I think I can forgive you for just this one time."

Robin lets out a snort, then faces the rest of the group. "Listen up everyone," he says, casting his voice so even Virion down the hall can hear him. "Tomorrow, we march for Regna Ferox. We'll be passing through Ylissean territory, so we can't afford to cause _any_ trouble there. That means _you_ , Henry."

A muffled "Aw, _man!_ " sounds from somewhere in the barracks.

"Regna Ferox?" Chrom echoes.

"A country to the north of Plegia and Ylisse," Robin replies. "Fighting is kind of their thing; they're known as mighty warriors. We'll need their aid if we're to deal with the Risen problem, hence why we can't just go directly north, as well as these radical groups that are attempting to instigate war."

"The Risen are what the council decided to call those rotting messes of creatures we fought," Tharja provides, and Robin nods.

"Why doesn't the king go up there himself?" Gaius asks. "Surely they'd rather talk to him than a rag-tag gang of messengers?"

"My father's been very busy, as well as that the people may panic should he leave the capital in such times," Robin says. "A message has been sent to notify of our arrival, so we should be alright once we get there."

"Any orders for today then?" Chrom asks.

"Training, but no overdoing it. Take tonight to relax and prepare," Robin replies. "We leave at dawn."

 

   
Chrom lets out a sigh as he shuts the door, slipping his clothes off to begin bathing.

He hadn't had the chance the day before, and training today in Plegia's heat had him sweating like a dog. And who _knows_ how long he had been unconscious before Robin found him?

Chrom pushes the thoughts away as he begins to scrub water and soap onto his skin, relishing in the feeling of being cleaned. He hadn't noticed how grimy his skin had felt before washing, but it refreshes him nonetheless.

He washes his face and around his neck, before moving to his chest and shoulders. Chrom pauses, however upon seeing what appears to be a tattoo.

Then his sight is replaced by piercing _white_ , and a burning pain grips his chest. He can just make out the shape of a face, with penetrating, blue eyes and long, green hair. He hears a high-pitched _scream_ and his vision goes black.

The next thing he knows is that he's pressed against the wall of the tub, gasping for breath. Chrom hesitantly tries looking at the marking again to see if it'll trigger the same vision, but nothing happens. The flames of what he felt have already disappeared from his body.

 

   
The Oasis reaches Ylisse's border around noon, and they stop for a meal break.

Chrom's enjoying a piece of bear meat when a shout is heard throughout the camp. Everyone silently drops their things and grabs their weapons, before moving to find where the noise had come from.

The group finds a clearing in the woods where a red-haired woman is surrounded by a mob of Risen, each grabbing for the pouches that line her belt.

"I know that girl," Gaius says, clenching his fists and turning to Robin. "We've gotta get in there!"

"Of course. Chrom, you and I will move in to help her," Robin says. "Virion, Gaius, and Henry, move around and take on the back. Try to lure a piece of the hoard away from the rest if you can. Tharja, clear the path behind Chrom and I, and Aversa, go up above and pick off any stragglers, as well as help anyone that's struggling. Understood?" The group collectively nods. "Alright, let's do it."

Henry leads Gaius and Virion away as Aversa takes to the skies. Chrom unsheathes his sword and Robin follows close behind him, his own tome prepared.

Chrom swipes at the Risen as he passes by them, aiming to stun or to surprise them so he and Robin can get to the woman as quickly as possible.

He gets within ten feet of the woman when he realizes Robin isn't right behind him any longer; he's back a ways against a Risen with a lance, and Tharja is cut off from him with other zombies.

Chrom begins to move, afraid he can't make it in time. The lance sweeps against Robin's bicep and he hisses out in pain, blood beginning to seep through his cloak. Chrom clenches his teeth and lunges forward to prevent another attack on the tactician, locking the Risen in place while Robin swipes at it with his own sword.

He finishes the thing off as Chrom is catching another Risen's weapon, and he cuts at it with a quick movement.

"You alright?" Chrom asks when he has the chance.

"Yes, I just got a tad distracted," Robin says, his cheeks gaining slight coloration. "Thank you."

"No worries," Chrom says with a grin. "Make sure you give your arm some attention." Robin gives a nod, and they continue on to the woman once more.

Within minutes, the two of them reach her, relieved to find she hasn't been terribly harmed besides a few scrapes here and there.

"Hello there, handsome!" the woman chirps, looking at the two of them; her eyes linger a bit on Chrom, causing him to lightly flush. Robin snorts. "Am I being rescued?"

"That was the plan, but you seem to be holding up just fine," Chrom admits.

"Are you still able to fight?" Robin asks.

"I can go for a few more rounds," she says, stretching her arms in the air.

"Great. Sounds like we're in business."

 

   
The last Risen is struck with Robin's lightning magic before falling to the ground and evaporating.

Chrom and Robin take a moment to catch their breaths while the rest of their group gathers together.

"Red," Gaius says, stepping forward. "You alright?"

"Gaius? I didn't see you there!" the woman meets him in a quick hug. "How are you?"

"I've been alright," he nods, then turns to the Oasis members. "Guys, this is Anna, _very_ well-known merchant with _very_ high-quality stuff."

"Satisfaction guaranteed!" she agrees, raising a finger in the air.

"What are your plans now, Anna?" Robin asks. "Perhaps we can escort you if you're planning on heading somewhere."

"Well I might just stick around with you guys, if that's alright," she says, wrapping an arm around Gaius's shoulder. "You all really saved my bacon there! I owe you, and any friend of Gaius is a friend of mine. Plus, it looks like you could use a staff user."

"Well Robin?" Gaius says. "She's a trustworthy woman, and that means something comin' from me."

"If you say so. I have no complaints," Robin looks to Chrom. He seems to be asking if he has Chrom's agreement, which confuses him, but he replies with a nod nonetheless. He hears a low grumble from Tharja, but Robin ignores it and says, "Glad to have you, Anna."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i think its easy to see comparisons of plegia to a middle eastern country (perhaps racist but im not sure its necessarily the same in japan compared to a western lens) and due to that, gaiuss nickname for aversa, qarinah, is a succubus in arabian mythology
> 
> also if anyone caught it, sucker is what midwesterners in america call a spherical lollipop (ex tootsie pops or dum dums)
> 
> also also idk how to write anyones speech patterns. ever.
> 
> edit 8/15/18 - my memory did not serve me well in the map of ylisse so made a teensy work around


	5. Warrior Realm

"Gods, it's certainly chilly up here," Aversa says.

Chrom agrees, wiggling his toes in attempt to bring feeling back into them. His remade clothes were certainly helpful against the cold, but the wind was not well-received against his face.

"Part of what makes the Feroxi so strong," Robin replies. He has his hood up, and Chrom can't help but envy the extra protection from the weather.

"Or so barbaric," Virion mutters.

"Princess, once we get back to Plegia, I may have some warmer clothing in my shop," Anna says, beginning to bombard Aversa with sales pitches. Gaius gives her an apologetic look.

"Lord Robin," Tharja says, halting the conversation. "We'll be arriving to the Longfort soon. A reminder that the Feroxi have grown wary of foreigners, and we must tread carefully."

Robin nods in acknowledgement. "We should be alright. We _did_ send a carrier pigeon to announce our arrival."

"Uh, Rob?" Henry says from the back of the group.

"Yes?" the prince asks, turning to look at the mage.

" _Proooobably_ should've mentioned it earlier, but I don't think the birdie made it."

Robin stops in his tracks, lifting an eyebrow. "What makes you say that?"

"Last week I was looking at one of those Risen's stomachs we defeated," Henry explains, pursing his lips. "And _well_ … I think he intercepted the message."

Robin grimaces and Chrom thinks the tactican's about to toss his cookies. Gaius breaks the silence first, saying, "Hey Junior?"

Henry goes back to his usual smile. "Yeah?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

Tharja whacks Gaius in the head.

Robin lets out an exasperated sigh. "Should be interesting to see how this plays out then."

The group continues on, approaching the fortress carefully.

"Halt!" a voice sounds. The Oasis members look to a general at the top of the wall. "Who goes there?"

"Greetings," Robin calls back. "I am Prince Robin of the Theocracy of Plegia. I seek audience with Regna Ferox's khans."

"With a band of soldiers?" she scoffs, raising a javelin. "Prove your words!"

Chrom just barely catches the small sigh Robin lets out, as he rolls up his sleeve and raises the back of his hand. The design that adorns it is making Chrom dizzy for whatever reason, and he just barely catches himself on Gaius's shoulder.

"Woah, Blue, you alright?" the thief whispers, eyes widened.

Chrom tests his feet. "I… I think so."

"Take it easy if you're not feeling a hundred percent," Gaius says.

"Er—yeah," Chrom nods. "Thanks."

Meanwhile, Robin's saying to the general, "I assume the holy Mark of Grima will suffice as proof?"

She lowers her weapon and nods to a soldier aside her. The soldier disappears and she says, "Yes, that will do. Regna Ferox welcomes you, Prince Robin."

Robin lowers his hand, and Chrom's mouth is dry as he watches him readjust his sleeve, concealing the Mark on his hand once more.

 

   
Chrom looks up from the edge of his bed to the door, where someone is knocking from behind. He stands and opens it, surprised to see Robin there.

"Hello, Chrom," he says, uncrossing his arms.

"Oh, hi Robin. Can I help you with something?"

"Do you mind if I come in?"

Chrom blinks, then shakes his head. "Not at all." He steps aside to allow Robin in before shutting the door behind him. "What's up?"

"Gaius told me you nearly fainted earlier today," Robin says.

Chrom moves to sit on the edge of the bed again, then pats the area next to him with his hand. The prince hesitates before sitting down on the bed as well, bringing his legs up and criss-crossing them.

"What about it?" Chrom asks, leaning back on his hands.

"Well I wager you weren't planning on telling anyone," Robin glances at him.

"It was just a little dizziness. Nothing to be concerned about."

Robin furrows his brow. "What if you just collapsed and nobody knew why?" His tone is even, and Chrom finds himself confused.

"Huh? Well I don't think that'd happen."

"But what if it _did?_ "

Chrom lifts a brow. "And what if _you_ collapsed with how often you work yourself thin?" Robin's eyes widen, and he backtracks. "Er, sorry, I didn't—look. It was nothing serious, really."

Robin is silent for a moment, looking down at his lap. Without moving his eyes, he asks quietly, "…What do you know of my habits? It's only been two weeks we've known each other."

Chrom tilts his head a bit. "I'm not really the most observational person," he admits, "but you're the leader. Of _course_ I'm gonna pick up on the stuff you do. Literally the first night we met, you weren't sleeping." He then adds, "I won't tell you what and what not to do, but no one wants to see _you_ falling over, either."

Robin looks up again. "…I'll admit to you, Chrom, I do lack a certain self-preservation. Although, _you_ seem to as well, at least when you're in battle."

Chrom reaches up and rubs the back of his neck. "I'll, uh… take that as a compliment?"

The prince chuckles. "You are a gifted swordsman, and with my position, I've witnessed plenty of great fighters." His tone then becomes solemn again as he says, "What I'm trying to say is, is that you're very important to this group, more than I think you realize. I know it's been a short amount of time, but… there's something about you, Chrom. I don't want you to put yourself at unnecessary risk."

Chrom gives a half-smile. Robin always seemed to have a rather cool air about him, and it was interesting to see a more vulnerable side of his leader. The praise has him a bit flustered.

"We'll see," he jokes. Robin smiles back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shorter chapter because i game that fight was so easily avoidable so honestly? avoiding it LOL
> 
> although that kinda fucks with the canonical chapter name
> 
> edit: changed some time stuff in the chapter. it took about 12 ish(?) days for them to get to ferox


	6. Two Truths

The Oasis members gathered together in the palace's dining room, enjoying a dinner provided by the Khan. A servant enters and says, "Khan Regnant Basilio will join you all soon." He bows and exits.

"Didn't he have all day to prepare for this?" Chrom asks Robin. The two of them are seated at the edge of the table, adjacent to the empty head seat where the Khan will sit.

"He's most likely out training," the tactician replies, taking a bite of his poultry. "Strength is typically valued over diplomacy in Ferox."

"I guess when you're freezing to death, it's either be strong or die," Chrom mutters. Robin makes a noise akin to amusement.

Within minutes, a tall, dark skinned man—or warrior, with how he's dressed—enters the dining room and thumps into his chair unceremoniously.

"How are ya, boy?" he says, his voice rather loud, slapping the prince on the back.

"Just fine, thank you Basilio," Robin says, brushing off his boisterous nature. Chrom raises an eyebrow; Robin's stature is usually more… _formal_ , in these types of things.

"Oh and of course Aversa!" She gives a sweet smile, and the man turns to the prince again. "So, Robin, what brings you to Ferox?"

"I'm here to request military aid," he explains. "Recently, tensions have been rising between Plegia and Ylisse, having to do with religious conflict. Radicals from each side appear to only seek a full out war to eliminate one another, and their numbers are on the rise." Robin lets out a sigh. "Groups of bandits and brigands have been developing to protect themselves, as well as that horrible zombies from the stuff of legends have been popping up around the country… my people are in danger and need help."

"That sure doesn't sound pretty, but I'm not sure I can grant that request of yours," the Khan says. "If it were just you, Robin, you know I'd help you out, but there's your old man I'm on the fence about."

The prince nods solemnly. "I understand, but it's not as if we'd take command of your soldiers. No troops must be mobilized soon by any means," he says. "I only want your word that if war breaks out, Plegia can expect your aid in fighting for peace. I wouldn't want innocent Ylisseans and Feroxi to die from an unnecessarily extended war on top of dealing with the _undead_."

Basilio exhales deeply through his nose, setting down his silverware. "What does your old man know about this request?"

"He sent me here and expects Ferox's enthusiastic support in battling against Ylisse," Robin admits. "But I can always say we reached a compromise, and this was the best I could get."

Chrom isn't sure what to make of the whole exchange. The little he knew of Robin's father was the passing remark Aversa made about not being raised much by him, as well as that his country was always financially secure. He had taken the king to be too consumed by his duties to take much personal interest in Robin and Aversa, but not that he was neglectful of even his own _people_.

It's also concerning that Robin's going behind his father's back with a foreign nation, but Chrom figures he doesn't know the whole story. This group has good people… _right?_

The Khan eyes Robin, seeming on the fence. Eventually he gives in and says, "Look. I may be the reigning Khan at the moment, but the next tournament comes up in a week. If you'll fight for me to keep reign, I'll give you your soldiers."

"I thought your preferred champion was Lon'qu?" Robin's voice is laced with confusion.

"A day or two before you got here, he was attacked," Basilio explains. "He wasn't robbed or anything, just ambushed by someone in the middle of the night and struck badly enough to be unable to fight." He shakes his head. "People these days are something else."

Robins hums. "I'm sorry to hear that. I wish him a swift recovery. Regardless, you can count on us to retain your status as Khan Regnant."

  

 

The Oasis spends the week training alongside Feroxi soldiers, preparing for their battle in the arena.

Chrom notices Basilio's former champion, Lon'qu skulking around the training field with his arm in a cast, and Chrom supposes he wishes to be fighting. From what he's heard, the man's something of a loner, so it surprises him when Lon'qu approaches him with a bit of praise for his swordsmanship. Just as quickly as he came, however, he wishes the Oasis ' _luck_ ' (in the form of "don't die"), and disappears once more.

  

 

"Ready to go, boy?" Basilio asks, slapping Robin on the back.

"Ready as I'll ever be," he laughs, but Chrom notes there's no nervousness in his voice. When it comes to battle, Robin always sounds healthily confident in his skills.

Robin was allowed to enter the arena with a small select group of soldiers to accompany him in the tournament. So around the Plegian prince stood Chrom, Aversa, Tharja, and Henry. They share nods before walking into the open battlefield of the arena.

Chrom spots Virion, Gaius, and Anna in the front row of the stands, surrounded by other Feroxi spectators. Many are whooping their heads off and holding beer, ale, and the likes, as well as signs and banners for the side they want to win.

"Damn…" he hears Robin mutter, and turns to see where the prince is looking. Chrom furrows his brow. There stands Marth on the other side of the coliseum.

A Feroxi woman dressed in revealing clothing skips out into the middle of the arena. She's shaking like a leaf, but she clears her throat and manages to cast her voice to the audience through the use of a cone-shaped item.

"Welcome, everyone, to Regna Ferox's fifty-seventh triennial tournament!" she shouts, and does a twirl or two along with a flip, much to the crowd's approval, before continuing. "Today's tournament will decide our reigning Khan for the next three years. Representing the West and Khan Regnant Basilio, we have the crown prince Robin of Plegia!"

She pauses to allow half of the Feroxi people to holler and cheer, while others roar in defiance. Once it's settled down somewhat, the woman says, "Representing the East and Khan Flavia, give it up for a Plegian man named Marth, after the Legendary King of Old!"

The factions of the crowds swap in who's cheering and who's spitting trash talk, and Chrom sees Robin's lips moving, but he can't make out what he's saying over the noise.

The woman does a quick dance to signal the beginning of the match, then cartwheels off the battlefield.

Robin leads the Oasis members forward to meet Marth's own small group of soldiers. Marth casts a spell of dark magic towards the tactician's advancing group, and Chrom hears a sharp gasp out of Robin.

Chrom darts to shield him, spitting out a fast, "Are you hurt? What happened?"

Robin shakes his head, taking out Thoron to deal with an approaching enemy soldier. He casts the lightning to fling the soldier back, and lightly pushes Chrom away.

"I'm fine," he says quickly. "Marth has a tome that he shouldn't."

He takes a book from his coat with a deep purple cover and gold accents, adorning the same mark as the one on Robin's hand. Chrom recognizes it as the same weapon Marth is wielding.

Before he can say anything else, Robin says, "Cover me while I take Marth," then dashes forward to engage with the young man.

A mounted axe wielder charges at Chrom, and he has no choice but to tear his focus away from the tactician.

Chrom lifts his sword just as the Ylissean soldier's horse rears up, but is surprised when the man gasps and suddenly commands his horse back, seemingly surrendering to Chrom.

Dimly wondering what that was about, he hears Robin shouting as he duels Marth. Chrom darts to cover the prince from another Ylissean soldier, dumbfounded when that soldier, too, backs off from Chrom.

Eventually Marth is abandoned by all of the Ylisseans, and he hesitates once he realizes it. He attempts to recover, but is too late as Robin uses the opening to strike him down, winning the tournament.

The crowd goes wild at the final blow, but the cheers fall deaf upon Chrom's ears. He wonders what's going on with Marth and the Ylisseans, as to why they all abandoned him. He looks at Robin, who stands calmly and helps the masked man to his feet.

 

   
Chrom tentatively tastes the spoon, unsure of this strange concoction disguised as 'soup.' He's delightfully astonished at the flavor, and finishes his bowl in no time.

The conversation between Robin and the two Khans around him as paused, and he looks at the Prince questioningly.

"Chrom," he says slowly. "Did you eat every single bay leaf in there?"

He lifts an eyebrow. "Yeah, why?"

Robin blinks as Basilio and Flavia begin cackling. "N-never mind," he shakes his head and continues the conversation. "So, Flavia. Where did Marth come from?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," she chuckles. "He showed up along with some Ylissean soldiers at the border, begging to take part in the tournament. They fought my guard and won, so I allowed him to—I didn't have a better option anyway."

"Is he staying with you?" Robin asks.

"Nope," she replies. "He bolted the moment he lost—even the Ylisseans didn't know where he ran off to."

"So dark and mysterious," Chrom hums, enjoying the side-glance Robin's giving him.

"Marth's certainly got a few fans," Tharja purrs, joining in on teasing the prince. Henry pretends to swoon aside her, and Gaius covers his mouth, attempting to contain his snickers.

"He is sort of dreamy, isn't he?" Chrom sighs dramatically, nearly losing composure when Robin scoffs.

"And you're all sort of _dreaming_ ," he says. He narrows his eyes at the quietly chuckling Khans. "What, you guys _too?_ "

"For how mature you can be, seems you're still pretty young, boy," Basilio laughs.

Robin rolls his eyes. "Whatever. We've got to get back to Plegia regardless."

"Fair enough," the Feroxi man nods. "But before you go, I've got little present for you."

Robin tilts his head. "We already have your aid, no? What more could you possibly give us?"

"I'll be sending Lon'qu with you," Basilio says. "His arm's practically healed up, and within a few days it should be good as new."

Robin blinks in astonishment, then dips his head. "Th-thank you, Basilio. We'd be honored to have him."

Chrom silently agrees. From what he'd heard while in Ferox, it sounded like Lon'qu would be a valuable addition to the team. Perhaps now the innocents of Plegia would be safe.

 

   
Chrom unwraps the small candy and pops it into his mouth, beginning to roll it around on his tongue. The treat is chocolate coated, and he takes an experimental bite, surprised to find licorice in its center.

"Interesting combination," Chrom comments, taking another one from Gaius's bag. Robin is leading the march, talking with Anna and Virion. Tharja and Henry are showing Aversa different spells, while Lon'qu trails behind Chrom and Gaius. He hadn't been one for conversation their entire way back to Plegia, but he occasionally listened in on Chrom's conversations with other the Oasis members.

"Not bad, though, right?" Gaius says as he chews his candy. "You don't get this kind of stuff in Ylisse or Plegia."

"So you _have_ been to Ylisse," Chrom says.

"Well _yeah_ , I was born there," the thief confirms. "Did the pale skin not give it away?"

"What brought you to Plegia, then?" he asks.

"You go where the work takes ya," Gaius says. "Plus, I owed Bubbles for savin' my ass on a couple a' different occasions. He and I are something of old mates."

Chrom nods, considering this. He hesitates before asking, "What's it like in Ylisse?"

Gaius blinks at him, then says after a moment, "So, you wanna know what it's like back home. Didn't think you would, with your lack of memories and whatnot."

He nods, and the other man goes on. "Well, a lot of Ylisse is like what we've seen goin' to and from Ferox, as far as the lush forests and open fields. Older folks say it used to be quite a peaceful land before the late Exalt crusaded against Plegia in the name of Naga. They say the current Exalt, Emmeryn, was traumatized by it all, with her only being nearly ten years old when her father died, and was taken advantage of by the priests and higher-ups that advised her father. Well that  _and_ the disappearance of—"

Gaius was cut off, however, by Robin shouting, "What is the meaning of this?!"

Chrom and Gaius turn their attention to the commotion. A group of twenty or so fully armed Plegian soldiers were marching together, and had stopped at Robin's voice. He wonders why this is significant, until Chrom realizes the Oasis still had half a day's march to where Ylisse changed over to Plegia.

"Prince Robin, you've returned from Regna Ferox!" a soldier gasps, and the one Chrom assumes to be the commanding officer thumps his head.

"Your Highness," the officer bows once the soldier shuts up. "What can I do for you?"

"Why are you over the border?" he demands. "Plegia doesn't need anymore tension with Ylisse."

"His Majesty has commanded Sir Gangrel to take custody of Lady Maribelle of Themis," the officer says. "My squad is merely the rearguard of the main group."

Robin is silent, and Chrom notices Aversa and Tharja share a worried look. Finally, the prince nods curtly. "Thank you, Officer," he says tightly, then turns to the Oasis. "Everyone, we must catch up to Gangrel's main group, and as soon as possible. Let's move!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this took so long! had some demotivation and was occupied by streaming on twitch ,,
> 
> okay so ik grimas truth isnt exclusive as henry wields it in his spotpass (streetpass?) challenge but im treating it as if it is exclusive, or at least very hard to get


	7. The Exalt and the King

The Oasis comes to a halt behind the Plegian prince. Before them stands Gangrel on a high rock formation on the ravine's wall, yelling down at a group of Ylissean soldiers below him. A tall, bald Plegian man with thick facial hair is beside him, holding a shorter blonde-haired woman captive. Chrom guesses she must be Lady Maribelle.

The Ylisseans turn to Robin's group, weapons readied. Chrom recognizes multiple of the soldiers as the ones who accompanied Marth, but the young man is nowhere to be seen. They seem to be led by the axe-wielding knight Chrom had encountered.

"Sir Gangrel!" Robin shouts, interrupting the general's spiel.

"Your Highness!" he laughs, the noise making Chrom rather uncomfortable. "How was your trip to Ferox? Did you get their support in crushing these pathetic Ylisseans?"

Robin ignores his words. "What are you doing with Lady Maribelle?"

"Why, didn't you hear?" Gangrel asks, feigning surprise. "Mari Contrary here crossed our border without consent, then attacked us once we tried to escort her home!"

"What?" Maribelle shrieks incredulously, glaring at Gangrel. "Your foul lot attacked the Borderland Village and razed the entire thing! Then when I tried to intervene, you dragged me over the border to use me as a bargaining chip against House Ylisse!"

"Hm, that would only prove that Ylisse has a bandit problem," Gangrel hums, tapping his chin. "Something I hear oft of late… But indeed, tonight I shall weep salty tears into my pillow for your dead villagers."

"Release her at once, Gangrel," Robin calls back. "This can be settled this without hostages!"

"I'm only following His Majesty's orders, Your Highness," he says, raising his hands in innocence. "Plegia is well within her rights to have the Lady here executed!"

An Ylissean soldier speaks up, barking threats at Gangrel. Chrom tunes it out, however, as he watches a boy in blue robes slide down the rocky wall, behind Gangrel, the bald man, and Maribelle. He's intrigued as the Plegian man accidentally releases her—no, _freely_ —to run off with the boy, then falls against Gangrel, who was too occupied with banter to notice the whole ordeal.

"Mustafa!" he yells, pushing the man off of him. "What are you doing, you oaf?"

He fakes a cough. "Wind… magic," he groans, pointing to the boy and Maribelle, who have rejoined with the Ylisseans.

"Useless dog," Gangrel growls. "Captain Orton, remain here while I take this buffoon to answer for himself to Validar. Don't let any of these Ylisseans escape!"

As Gangrel lugs the 'injured' Mustafa off, the Plegian soldiers surrounding the Ylisseans prepare for battle.

Chrom turns to the Oasis members and says, "We can't let those Ylisseans be killed."

"What, and brand Lord Robin a traitor?" Tharja hisses. "Let them take their chances, that Orton is dumber than a pile of sand, anyways."

"I agree, Brother," Aversa says. "We can't give up your position yet."

"What?" Chrom can't believe his ears. "Innocents will be killed and war will be upon us! Robin!"

Robin stands quietly, his head tilted down, eyebrows furrowed, and a knuckle against his lips. "I know, Chrom, I'm thinking…" he says, concentrating.

"Chrom is right, and we do not have the daylight for a perfect plan," Virion butts in, much to Chrom's surprise. "This day has been a long time coming, and now we must act before it is too late!"

Robin looks up at the Rosannite man, his eyes narrowing. "I've got an idea," he says slowly. The prince turns to Anna and Lon'qu. "Nobody knows who you are and that you're affiliated with us. Join the Ylisseans and keep them safe. Get them out of here. If they flee, you stay with them." The two exchange a glance, then nod before running off.

"Aversa, fly to the rearguard troops and keep them from joining with the main group." She and her Pegasus launch into the air.

"Virion, Henry, Gaius, Tharja, I want you four ready to arrest the Ylisseans." The Oasis members move to one of the smaller rock formations behind the Plegian army to take cover.

"Chrom, you're playing bodyguard with me," Robin says. "We're going to get to the spot Gangrel was at and order the Plegian soldiers to back down."

The prince charges off, and Chrom follows after a moment, unsure how to feel about the political climate in Plegia.

The two of them run across the bottom of the ravine, mostly ignored by the Plegian soldiers. Some scowl or give confused glances, but otherwise say nothing as the two of them pass by. Chrom notices an Ylissean knight raising a javelin and aiming near Robin, but halts upon seeing Chrom. He gives a nod, then focuses on protecting his comrades.

He brushes it off, following easily behind Robin, very much used to the prince's movements. The two have become rather in-sync to each other's fighting styles and patterns, and support each other with no difficulty. The thought makes Chrom smile as they arrive at the base of Gangrel's cliff, and the two of them scale it with little interruption. Robin climbs over the edge, offering Chrom a hand once on his feet to help him with the last bit of rock. Chrom accepts and Robin pulls him up.

Once at the top, Robin uses Thoron to create a large flash to capture the clashing soldiers' attention.

"Soldiers of Plegia!" he casts his voice out. The fighting stops almost immediately, and the only sound is the breeze that passes through the valley of rock. "I, Prince Robin, order you to spare these Ylisseans' lives. The Ylisseans are horribly outnumbered, and my personal squad will take charge of arresting them."

A man on a wyvern rises in the air, flying up to where Robin and Chrom stand on the stone shelf.

"You have no control here," he sneers, and Chrom can only assume this man is Orton. "We've orders from the king himself to rid of every last one of these Ylisseans." He turns the wyvern in the air to look down upon the soldiers. "Isn't that right, men?"

The Plegian soldiers glance confusedly at one another, unsure of whose directions to follow. Arguments among the soldiers begin to grow in volume, and Chrom quirks his lip. Robin's stature remains calm, but he guesses the prince is just as uncertain as he is.

"I will take that up with my father," Robin replies evenly, but the warning is apparent in his tone. "It would do you well to obey direct orders from the prince _himself_."

Before the captain can reply, an arrow pierces through his chest, a few scarlet droplets landing on Robin's face. The man falls from his wyvern, thumping against the stone floor thirty feet below. Horror crosses the tactician's features, and Chrom doesn't doubt his own face isn't something similar. How could the Ylisseans do this when they had just been trying to _save_ them?

Another arrow flies towards Robin, and Chrom moves to shield him with his body.

"We've got to get you out of here," Chrom says hurriedly.

Robin blinks at him, a pained look on his face. It threatens to break Chrom's heart, but it's gone within a second, replaced by Robin's usual careful expression. He has to admire his friend's self-control.

Chrom slides down the rocky wall, sword angled to cut anyone waiting at the bottom. All is clear, and he beckons to Robin. The tactician lands behind him, his eyes scanning the battlefield.

A Plegian soldier approaches the two of them, and Chrom recognizes him as the officer of the rearguard they had met earlier.

"Milord," the soldier says to them. "The Ylisseans are escaping. Do we pursue?"

"No," Robin answers. "We aren't equipped to go into Ylisse. March back to Plegia and regroup. My squad will take a look around and head out last."

The soldier runs off to carry out the order, and Robin turns to Chrom.

"I saw Marth sneaking around here with the view we had up there," he explains. "He must have helped those Ylisseans get away."

Chrom blinks at him, then looks to the Plegian army. The soldiers have reassembled their squads and are making plans to fall back.

"I can't believe they assassinated Orton while we were trying to help them," Chrom says, settling his gaze back on Robin. "And that they even tried to take _you_ out."

"None of the Ylisseans were armed with a bow, and I doubt Virion has suddenly turned against me." He shakes his head. "No, whoever shot those arrows must have been Plegian."

Chrom's eyes widen. "You mean…?"

Robin nods. "Sabotage. Come on, let's get back to everyone else."

 

 

After what seems to take forever, the last of the Plegian army is heading out. The final officer salutes Robin, before leaving with his squad.

The Oasis members sit around the fire as dusk sets in, streaking the sky with lavender. The sun burns a bright orange, and the sunset is striking to Chrom.

Aversa and her mount glide into the ravine, followed minutes later by Anna, Lon'qu, and the Ylisseans. He notes that Marth is nowhere to be found.

Robin offers them a meal and to rest at their camp tonight, and the Ylissean soldiers accept gratefully. The battle from earlier surely must have been exhausting for them.

Surprisingly, the chatter is less tense than he'd expect it to be as each party eats. Although, Chrom keeps catching looks at him from the soldiers out of the corner of his eye, and curiosity burns his thoughts. Is now the time to ask? When would he even get another chance to, anyways? He wonders how guarded the answers he'd receive would be, and whether or not if he should discuss with Robin first before throwing things out into the open.

He only realizes he's staring at Robin when the Plegian prince rises to his feet. He gives Chrom a questioning look, as if reading his thoughts, and Chrom nods slightly. The two slip away from the rest of the group, as Gaius has everyone's attention with a story about a heist in a bandit stronghold he and Anna were apart of.

The two men walk silently as they create distance between themselves and the camp behind them. Once the voices have faded, Robin looks up at him, raising an eyebrow in unspoken question.

"I've noticed that those Ylisseans act very strange around me," Chrom says simply, glancing upwards. A few stars have begun to dot the sky, despite the sun not fully drowned out by the horizon yet.

Robin gazes up as well and puts his hands in his coat's pockets, humming in acknowledgement. The prince opens his mouth to speak, but no words come out, and Chrom waits patiently. There seems to be something that Robin knows, but he doesn't blame him for keeping quiet these past few weeks. Chrom knows the knowledge that comes with royalty can be a strange thing. He trusts his friend.

Robin angles his head to look up at Chrom, ready to speak it seems. He offers the Plegian a gentle smile, waiting for what Robin has to say.

"May I see your sword?" he asks, and Chrom unsheathes it, handing it to Robin. He wonders if it has any significance to the prince, as the weapon is nothing like he's ever seen. It never appears to dull, either.

Robin runs his fingers along the blade, hand trembling as he does. Chrom sees a hint of violet light coming from beneath his friend's vambrace; he wonders if he is using magic or if that's from the mark on his hand.

Then the prince returns the sword to Chrom, and he sheathes it again as Robin says, "I don't know if you recall, but I expressed recognition when you remembered your name—when we first met."

Now that he mentions it, he can remember Robin's eyes widening and that he was about to say something before he, Chrom, Aversa, and Tharja saw the nearby town ablaze. His thoughts flicker to the four of them preparing to battle, and Robin's reaction to Chrom unsheathing his sword—the very same sword the prince had just requested to see.

He nods, and Robin goes on. "I believe the sword is known as Falchion, if I'm correct in my suspicions. It's believed to be carved from the fang of the Divine Dragon Herself, Naga. The sword is said to have the power to slay any dragon; including the Gods Themselves."

Chrom creases his brow. How in the world would he have gotten a sword like _this?_ "Who _am_ I…?" he breathes subconsciously.

"The sword is one of Naga's gifts and a treasure to the Halidom of Ylisse. Only those of Exalted blood who are deemed worthy can wield it; if I were to use it, it wouldn't cut through a thing."

"Wait a second," Chrom holds up his hands. "'Exalted blood?' Are you saying I'm related to Ylisse's royal family?"

"Not just related… I think you're Prince Chrom of Ylisse," Robin sighs. "I knew your name, but I had never seen your face before. I wasn't entirely sure your sword was Falchion, but upon seeing how those Ylissean soldiers respond to your presence… I doubt those are just a series of coincidences."

 

 

The boy tugs his mother's pant leg, and she places her quill on the desk, before picking him up and letting him settle into her lap.

He tilts his head back in attempt to see her face. "Whatcha doin'?" he asks.

Her face relaxes from the expression she makes when she concentrates, her warm smile encouraging him to snuggle closer to her.

"Reading about the Divine Dragon, Naga," she replies, raising a hand to pet his soft, white hair.

"Naga?" he echoes. "Mommy, who's that?"

"You know how many of us in Plegia worship Grima, correct?"

The boy nods, showing her the mark on his hand to prove his understanding.

She smiles again. "Naga leads the Divine Dragon Tribe, the most powerful group amongst the dragons. When Grima lost control of Himself one thousand years ago, Naga helped save His soul and let Him rest."

"How'd Naga do it?"

"She used one of Her fangs to create a heavenly blade known as Falchion," his mother says. "She granted some of Her power to a human, known as the First Exalt, along with the sword, to help seal Grima back to His natural state."

He blinks, absorbing the information. "…What happened when Grima lost control?"

The corners of her lips sag. "…He did many terrible things."

"Why?"

"Grima has the blood of both human and dragon. To awaken Grima, one must use terrifyingly powerful dark magic. His conflicting blood and the magic used to bring him back… it hurt Him very badly."

The boy's face scrunches with confusion. "If He was bad, why do we like Him?"

Her face slightly glows again. "Sleep is what cured Him. He controls and tames the world's darkness when He's asleep, and wishes to contain balance in the world. He teaches us that kindness can heal even those who are the most damaged, and that the world is not as black and white as it seems. There is balance, and we must rise above ourselves to preserve it."

 

 

"How would a prince of Ylisse have ended up without memory and in the middle of Plegia?" Chrom asks, carding a hand through his hair. "And why wouldn't anyone recognize me?"

Robin lets out a long exhale. "Your sister, Emmeryn, is the current Exalt of Ylisse. When she was on the cusp of her tenth year, your father died from his war with Plegia. The previous Exalt had crusaded against us in the name of Naga, shortly after my birth.

"The war had ravaged both of our countries, and people of both kingdoms had began to resent your family. I can't say exactly what happened on Ylisse's side, as I was young at the time, and no news of either side dared cross the border.

"Through passing conversations and spying on council meetings, I learned that you had been reported kidnapped shortly after Emmeryn's coronation. Months later, I learned that extremists of the Grimleal were responsible. I believe they had meant to take Emmeryn instead, for your blood's connection to Naga, but with her new status, it was probably easier to abduct you."

 

 

He hides behind the potted plant outside of the Council's conference room, pressing his ear against the wall.

A man walks out of the doorway, and the boy curls on himself tightly, waiting for the man to leave before resuming his prior position.

"…Chrom is under the Grimleal's possession. He is an Exalted Brand bearer."

Something slams against the table. "Do they wish to drive us back into war before we can even have the chance to _think_ about Grima's Heart?" He recognizes the angry voice of his father.

"Perhaps if we can pretend we want to return the prince as much as Ylisse wants him back, we can create something of a peace before we're ready for him."

Ready? For what?

His father sighs. "Fine. Send a messenger to arrange parley with Ylisse's baby of an Exalt."

 

 

"Wait, we're the same age, aren't we?" Chrom tilts his head. "If Emmeryn's my older sister, you would've been tiny at the time. How did you know to look into it?"

Robin nods. "My mother was a woman of knowledge, and it made her dangerous. She expressed her fears about our country to me, and urged me to learn as much as I could so that I'd be able to find the right path. She worried I would be the next target of extremists of either religion, and attempted to flee with me to somewhere hidden."

His gaze darkens with his next words. "Upon learning the plot, my father had her executed. He had been meaning to for a long time, but this gave him the reason he needed to present her death to the public."

 

 

He holds the general's fingers, knowing failure in his task is unacceptable before the day's events were over. "Please, Mister Mustafa," he begs. "We have to get my mommy's things. They mean a lot to her. She said I have to hold onto them."

The man's face is pained, and his expression is one of internal conflict. The boy squeezes the general's fingers, trembling at the thought of all he could lose today.

Mustafa looks down at him, his eyes softening. After a few moments, he finally concedes. "Alright," he says. "But you must never speak a word of this, my prince. Many people will be in serious danger if anyone ever finds out."

"I promise, I promise," he cries. He tries to wrap his pinkie finger around Mustafa's, but his is much too large, so he opts instead to shake the man's pinkie as if he were shaking someone's hand. "Thank you, Mister Mustafa."

He feels the man's hand against his back as he murmurs, "You're welcome, Robin."

 

 

Chrom is stunned, to say the least. Once he takes a moment to recover from his shock, he gently places a hand on Robin's shoulder. The prince looks up at him with wide, glassy eyes, cheeks shaded with emotion.

Chrom swallows before saying, "I know it's too late, but for what it's worth, I'm sorry."

Robin blinks, then wipes his eyes with his sleeve. "You didn't do anything wrong."

He shakes his head. "Things surrounding me caused what happened to her. I can't imagine the burden that was placed on you at such a young age. And even _today_ you're still dealing with the weight of who I really am, when I can't contribute a _thing_ to that." He frowns. "I wish I could remember."

Robin sniffs and laughs weakly. "I suppose it would make things a bit easier."

Chrom nods. "For now, I'll do what I can to support you. For _both_ of our countries." His eyes soften as he looks at the Plegian man. "For your mother, and for you."

Tears threaten to escape Robin's eyes, and he practically falls into Chrom's body, wrapping his arms tightly around him. It surprises him, with how reserved Robin typically is, but Chrom reciprocates nonetheless.

He stares at the last flames of the sun before they sink beneath the land. It saddens him to see the star retreat, but just like everything around him, Chrom knows the light will soon return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok this is where things start turning into a not so direct parallel to awakening and looks into a bit of a different story.
> 
> anyways the chapter title isnt as literal as it is in the game. as always, love any and all comments and thoughts!
> 
> edit 8/7/18 - rewrote robins story at the end to be more of a flashback


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